Prohibited and Restricted Invasive Plants

  • Restricted Invasive Plants

    To protect Queensland land and livestock, all landholders including local government need to be aware of our Prohibited and Restricted invasive plants. You can find a comprehensive list of these plants and fact sheets on the DAF website. The fact sheets include information on the plant’s lifecycle, habitat, control methods and category of the plant which will determine your response when an invasive plant has been found. 

    Plant Name Management Objective Control Method
    Parthenium

    Early detection

    Containment 

    • Pastures to be maintained in good condition – high level of grass crown cover will limit parthenium weed colonisation
    • Avoid overgrazing of pastures
    • Fence off infested areas to prevent stock grazing, allow more flexible management such as spelling pasture or herbicide application
    • Herbicide control – small and or isolated infestations treted immediately, extensive infestations will require herbicide treatment in conjunction with pasture management.  Timing of spraying is critical so parthenium weed is removed when plants are small or before seeding has occurred.
    • Some registered herbicides include: Amicide 625, 2/4-D amine, atrazine, Tordon 75-D, Metsulfuron
    • Vehicles and implements passing through infested areas should be cleaned to remove all seeds (prevent weed seed spread).  The clean down area should be confined to one area for monitoring and eradication of new plants.  Obtain weed seed hygiene declaration form
    • Avoid moving cattle from infested to clean areas during rain events.  Cattle should be held in a yard or small paddock until seed has dropped (tails, hide hair etc) before releasing animals to larger grazing area.
    • When purchasing hay, seed or other fodder material, ensure the product is parthenium weed free.
    Harrisia Cactus Containment
    • Spray plant with registered herbicide – Metsulfuron, DP 600, Access and Tordon DSH
    • Biological control – stem boring longicorns beetle (Alcidion cereicola) and mealy bug (Hypogeococcus festerianus).
    • Dig plants out (including bulb in roots) and burn or bury.
    Rope Pear Containment
    • Spray plant thoroughly to ground level with registered herbicide – Access
    • Biological control – cochineal insect however these must be protected in winter and during wet weather.
    African Boxthorn Containment
    • Cut stump or basal bark – do not treat during dormant winter months
    • Foliar spray – using Grazon DS
    • Use Glyphosate on small plants
    • Roundup – Foliar spray after good soaking rains – plants must be actively growing
    • Mechanical eradication can be implemented on large stands – blade ploughing and stick raking or removing entire root system and burn plant complete
    Green Cestrum Containment
    • Access – basal bark or cut stump and apply chemical
    • Glyphosate – apply chemical to cut stump
    • Tordon 75-D and Amitrole T – foliar spray actively growing plants to eliminate flowers and berries
    • Seedlings can be suppressed by vigorous competition from other plant pasture species or local native species
    • Removal of plant and root system can be done, however root system is very complex – need to remove all yellow roots – burning of roots is advisable.  Please note that dried plant matter is toxic to stock.
    Cats Claw Vine B. Early detection and eradication
    • Glyphosate – cut stump just above ground level and apply chemical on cut stump.  Foliar spray when plant is actively growing – need to retreat as necessary
    Mesquite B. Early detection and eradication
    • Access and Garlon 600 – basal bark or cut stump and treat with chemical
    • Grazon DS – foliar spray for seedlings or regrowth
    Lantana B. Early detection and eradication

    Mechanical, Biological and chemical control methods can be implemented.

    • Large infestations – fire, dozing-stickraking and cutting stump apply chemical (Access)
    • Lantana DP600, Glyphosate, Grazon DS, Metsulfuron, Starane 200, Tordon 75-D – foliar spray ensure plants are wet thoroughly – plants should be actively growing or not under stress when applying such chemicals.  Large bush may need re-treatment
    • Amicide 625 – use a coarse spray with sufficient pressure to penetrate canopy and wet stems as well as foliage
    Salvinia A. Prevention of introduction

    Can be sprayed with herbicide, results can be variable as upper leaf surfaces are largely non-wettable making absorption of herbicide difficult.  Large infestations may be gathered with mechanical harvesters and scoops although effectiveness of this method is liminted as the plant breaks easily into fragments.

    • AF100 – lightly spray free floating plants and adjacent water surface
    • Reglone – thoroughly saturate plants
    Parkinsonia B. Early detection and eradication
    • Mechanical control – blade ploughing
    • Chemical control – basal bark or cut stump technique, foliar spraying
    • Fire kills seedlings and seeds and is an excellent form of follow up control
    Prickly Acacia B. Early detection and eradication

    Control of prickly acacia can be achieved with an integrated approach using mechanical, chemical and biological methods.  Fire and pasture management can complement these treatments – variables to be considered when determining control methods – location, size and density of infestation, landform, timing of control, available resources.

    Mechanical control – to be conducted before the seed pods are dropped – permits may be required if native plants are affected.  Plants with truck diameter less than 150mm can be grubbed, cutting the root to at least 300 mm below the soil surface to prevent regeneration – tractor fitted with a scoop or grubbing attachment is useful for this purpose.

    Basal bark spray method is suitable for stems up to 100mm in diameter.  Stem should be sprayed completely around the base up to a height of 300mm above ground, wetting the bark to the point of run-off.  Most effective between April and August.

    Cut stump and apply chemical technique may be used at any time of the year.  Foliar or overall spraying is effective on seedlings and young plants up to 2m in height.

    Giants Rat’s Tail Grass B. Early detection and eradication

    ALERT – Early identification is essential – contact DEEDI or your LG if you suspect a plant within this Shire. 

    Glyphosate – spot spray
    Water Lettuce B. Early detection and eradication

    Weedmaster Duo – helicopter application

    Affray 300 – (Boom spray) sprinkle onto free-floating plants and adjacent water surface

    AF 100 – spot spray.  Don not spray dense solid mats with no visible water surface
    Rubber Vine B. Early detection and eradication

    Grazon DS – foliar spray

    2,4-D Ester – foliar spray and basal bark, cut stump

    Brush-off/BrushkillerTM600 and wetting agent – complete coverage is essential

    2,4-D Amine – cut stump – repeat applications maybe required
    Water Hyacinth B. Early detection and eradication

    Weedmaster Duo – foliar spray do not treat in winter

    2,4-D Amine – foliar spray do not treat in winter

    AF300/Afray300 – foliar spray
    Honey Locust B. Early detection and eradication

    Access – Basal bark or cut stump

    Starane 200 – basal bark - read chemical label for different tree trunk size and alternate application method

    Chilean Needle Grass A. Prevention of introduction

    Manual removal most effective – remove any basal or stem seeds and incinerated prior to plants dry out.

    Mowing or slashing – narrow window of opportunity to implement this process, no mowing of plant after flowering

    Fire can be used when plant in full seed.  Will reduce new seedling growth, however will promote seed located in soil.

    Chemicals

    Flupropanate – ground and aerial application and spot spraying

    Glyphosate – boom or spot spraying
    Fire Weed A. Prevention of introduction

    2,4-D (625g/L) – spot spraying only

    Aminopyralid (10g/L) + fluroxpyr (333g/L) Apply as a high volume or spot spray to flowering plants up to 30cm tall

    Triclopyr (300g/L)+ picloram (100g/L) + aminopyralid (10g/L) Apply as a high volume or spot spray when the plant is actively flowering

    Bromoxynil (200g/L) Apply during the autumn/sinter period when plants are young and actively growing.  Not effective on mature plants
    Mother of Millions Containment

    2,4-D acid (AF300) Overall spray handgun/knapsack

    Picloram + triclopyr – Overall spray knapsack – apply at flowering

     

  • The Maranoa Regional Council Biosecurity Management Plan 2023-2027 aims to prevent and reduce the economic, environmental and social impacts of diseases, contaminants, weeds and pests within the Maranoa Region.

    Biosecurity Management Plan

  • The Biosecurity Act 2014 requires everyone to take all reasonable and practical measures to minimise the biosecurity risks associated with invasive plants and animals under their control. This means Council and Land holders are responsible for their respective areas of land to monitor, maintain, control, eradicate or report invasive plants that are found within their land area.

  • Maranoa Regional Council has an annual pest management plan Link which targets the following invasive plants as priority plants.

    Maranoa Regional Council has an annual pest management plan which targets the following invasive plants as priority plants.

    Common - Once found the plant/s are contained by spraying with chemicals

    Primary Management Objective Pest Plant
    C. Containment Parthenium
    C. Containment Harrisia Cactus
    C. Containment Rope Pear
    C. Containment African Boxthorn
    C. Containment Green Cestrum
    C. Containment Mother of Millions

     

    Not Common – Continually monitored for early detection and if found weed is eradicated

    Primary Management Objective Pest Plant
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Cats Claw
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Mesquite
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Lantana
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Parkinsonia
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Prickly Acacia
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Giant Rats Tail Grass
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Water Lettuce
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Rubber Vine
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Water Hyacynth
    B. Early detection and Eradication  Honey Locust

     

    Not yet in the Maranoa region. Prevention of introduction is the target objective for these plants

    Primary Management Objective Pest Plant
    A. Prevention of Introduction  Chiliean Needle Grass
    A. Prevention of Introduction  Fire weed
    A. Prevention of Introduction  Salvinia
    A. Prevention of Introduction  Other/Emerging/Isolated
     
  • Council Rural Land Officers regularly monitor stocks routes and reserves and identify and control invasive plants. Members of the public can also report sighting of invasive plants (on public land) which the Land officers will then respond to and control as required. Land officers monitor the amount of chemicals used while spraying and take in factors such as wind, humidity etc to ensure spraying is only performed when it is safe for surrounding public/land holders/animals and vulnerable environmental areas (such as dams etc).

     

  • Council Does not aid the control and prevention of invasive weeds on private land holder properties.